Lethbridge City Council is putting its support behind a bid to host a prestigious tournament.
At its meeting Tuesday, councillors voted ‘yes’ to providing $1.25 million and a letter of support to the Sport Tourism Advisory Committee in their bid to host the 2026 Memorial Cup. The tournament would be held over 10 days in late May and early June at the ENMAX Centre, home of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The Memorial Cup is a competition for the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) top prize. The tournament features four teams – the league champions from the WHL, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and a host team. If the local bid is successful, that host team would be the Hurricanes.
“The Hurricanes bring a huge value to our community and having the Memorial Cup come to Lethbridge would be an absolute landmark event for the city and region,” says Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen.
“Most people know that I love the sport of hockey and am I proud Hurricanes fan, so this is an exciting opportunity.”
Officials say City Administration has reviewed the proposal and believes it aligns with the intent of the Major Community Event Hosting Policy. With funding from the grant program for the 2023-2026 Operating Budget being fully allocated and the program deemed closed, council voted to allocate proposed funding from the Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve (MRSR).
The City says there is no bidding fee that needs to be paid to the CHL. If the bid is not successful, there will be no financial impact for the City. The CHL is anticipated to announce the Memorial Cup host city by late November.
“Hosting the Memorial Cup in Lethbridge would bring an immense sense of pride and prestige to the Lethbridge Hurricanes and to the city and region,” says Terry Huisman, General Manager of Business Operations for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Huisman is also a member of the Sport Tourism Advisory Committee.
“Our club has a proud history in this city and we are always looking for opportunities to showcase this dedication to our fans and community,” he says.
A Sport Tourism Ecomomic Assessment Model (STEAM) from the Lethbridge Sport Council estimates that the tournament would provide a projected total economic boost of more than $12 million in Alberta. That includes a projected $9.25 million of direct and indirect economic output in Lethbridge.
The Sport Tourism Advisory Committee is also looking for provincial support. The group has received letters of support from community stakeholders. These include the ENMAX Centre, Tourism Lethbridge, Lethbridge Sport Council, the Lethbridge Soccer Association and Servus Sports Centre, Lethbridge College/Polytechnic, the Lethbridge Police Service, Lethbridge Curling Club, Lethbridge Minor Hockey, and KidSport Lethbridge-Taber.
